Adelaide v-c ousted after groping colleagues ‘lied repeatedly’

Australia’s university representative body has urged sexual harassment victims to “come forward” after details emerged about the serial sexual misconduct – and its Machiavellian aftermath – that dethroned the leaders of the country’s third oldest institution.

South Australia’s anti-corruption commissioner Bruce Lander says the “egregious disrespect” that former University of Adelaide vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen showed to two female colleagues, whom he groped during a university function in April 2019, triggered a chain of events that forced his resignation.

The episode prompted the departure of one of the women, who went on to receive compensation over her perception of being “victimised” by the university. 

It also triggered the departure of the then chancellor, former South Australian governor Kevin Scarce, who was pressured to resign over his handling of the scandal after being poorly advised and repeatedly lied to by Professor Rathjen, and after respecting the two women’s requests to keep their grievances confidential.

“I do not think that the chancellor should have been put in [that] position,” Mr Lander’s statement says. “I do not think my investigation could have embarrassed him or the university such that he needed to resign.”

The commissioner has released a 12-page statement in lieu of his 170-page report on his investigation, which he is not publishing in accordance with the women’s wishes. But the statement stresses the “seriousness” of Professor Rathjen’s misconduct, particularly given the “power imbalance” between him and the victims.

Advised by the university solicitor not to report the incident to the institution’s governing council or its constituent committees, Rear Admiral Scarce instead confronted the vice-chancellor and wrote him an “admonishing” letter.

Professor Rathjen “accepted the reproof” and denied subsequent allegations that he had sexually harassed a postgraduate student while he was a professor at the University of Melbourne, and engaged in inappropriate sexual relations as vice-chancellor.

“[Professor Rathjen] lied to the chancellor on three occasions,” Mr Lander’s statement says. “He lied in his evidence to me…he has lied when it suited him to do so.”

Rear Admiral Scarce would pay a heavy price for trusting his vice-chancellor and solicitor. In an April 2020 meeting with the then deputy chancellor, former Federal Court judge Catherine Branson, he was advised to quit in what Mr Lander described as a “fait accompli”.

“If he did not resign he would be stood down,” Mr Lander’s statement says. “That would have been extraordinarily embarrassing for him. The deputy chancellor also advised him that she wished to become chancellor.”

The statement says that Ms Branson had already revealed this aspiration to Professor Rathjen and “wanted to know if he felt he could work with her” – a discussion that Mr Lander found “surprising” given the serious allegations against the vice-chancellor. But at that stage Ms Branson had not been appraised of the full allegations.

Ms Branson, who was appointed chancellor last month, issued a statement acknowledging that the episode “reflected badly on our university”. She said that Adelaide would adopt all eight of Mr Lander’s recommendations “to improve our processes”, and would commission “an independent review…in relation to the accountability of our most senior leadership”.

“As chancellor, I’m confident we will become a better institution from this experience,” she said.

Universities Australia chairwoman Deborah Terry said that sexual assault and harassment were not acceptable on campuses or in society. “Australia’s universities have an enduring commitment to providing a safe and respectful environment for our students and staff.”

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com